


Saying Goodbye in a Burning City

by Sj_sucks



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Goodbyes, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Other, Persona 5: The Royal Spoilers, heavy on the hurt sorry, i just started thinking about this scene and my emotions took over
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-19
Updated: 2021-03-19
Packaged: 2021-03-28 06:46:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30135576
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sj_sucks/pseuds/Sj_sucks
Summary: Spoilers for Persona 5 Royal!!!I got carried away thinking about how Akechi would feel being crammed into the Monacopter so much knowing he would soon be dead so I wrote it T-T! Just heavy introspective angst and a wholesome moment between rivals.
Relationships: Akechi Goro & Kurusu Akira, Akechi Goro/Amamiya Ren, Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira, Akechi Goro/Persona 5 Protagonist
Kudos: 22





	Saying Goodbye in a Burning City

Goro Akechi never would have pictured his last moments being in the metaverse, not the first time and certainly not now. But he never hypothesized that Morgana could transform into a helicopter either, so here he was crammed into the bottom of the morgana-helicopter hybrid with all of the phantom thieves practically trampling him. The bitter irony of the situation was not lost on him, the fact that only the cat-copter and their leader had any idea that any moment he was going to fade away and effectively die yet again. Maybe if they were aware he was facing the end of his life they would have been paying more attention to where they were standing, that thought was nothing more than a small jest at his situation because he truly wished to not have to inform any of them about what was going to happen. No part of him wanted to handle their mix of emotions as they processed just how dire their final mission would be, especially when it pertained to his life. That would be too much, he alone had to grapple with his own mortality he couldn't let the emotions of others force him to protect their hearts ontop of his own. To do this he had made a strict rule not to tell any of the phantom thieves even if they asked point-blank. 

Of course that wasn't Goro's original plan there had been one person who he wanted to tell about his certain 'condition' that gave him life, that person of course being the absolutely clueless leader of the phantom thieves. There had been plenty of time over the past month where he could have simply pulled Akira aside and told him just how much of a _miracle_ it was that he was alive once again. But as he began to call out to him something in Akira's eyes stopped him every single time. Something in the dark charcoal colored eyes begged Goro to keep the magic alive, just a little while longer. It was truly up for debate if Akira knew that he was a figment of his unstated wish from Maruki, but he knew that somewhere deep down he must suspect that something was wrong. No matter how much he assumed that Akira was in fact smart enough to deduct what was happening, no part of him could force the cruel fate of being held responsible for shattering his heart right in front of him. Definitely not when Akira looked at him with those wide eyes. 

His initial lack of cruelty is something that concerned him, what if Maruki had invisible ties to his behavior after all, but he made sure to rule out that possibility the previous night. Goro knew that he had to be the emotionless assassin that he proudly was in order to properly get his feelings across. As he stuck the blade into Akira's chest as he broke the news to him, he made sure that he made his response as cold as possible. Nothing could have prepared him for the guilt that would eat at him the second he acknowledged Akira's wish for his life was worthless and none of it would matter the following day. 

If only he could have had the courage to find a way to talk to him about this in a way that didn't hurt the both of them, but even when facing death Goro knew he was a coward. He was a coward when he stormed out of LeBlanc for the last time, hearing Akira's soft call for him that quickly turned to sobs that reached him even as he walked down the dark alley. 

He snapped himself out of his head, because he was still living after all, he was going to take advantage of every second of it. Even if it meant he would be aware of just how crowded he felt, at the very least he appreciated Morgana for having the hindsight to make the bottom have a glass panel so that he could actively see his last moments alive. The way Maruki's palace crumbled around them was absolutely breathtaking. In a way he found it beautiful, beautiful and sickening, seeing his last hope at happiness collapse and burn away along with various buildings. 

It appeared as though Akira found it just as peaceful as well considering he was hanging from his grappling hook directly below the helicopter with his head tilted back every so slightly and his eyes closed. It was a beautiful sight, the leader of the phantom thieves, his greatest rival as well as his closest confident dangling there with no care for the explosions happening around him. 

Goro thought that it was beautiful enough to hurt, seeing Akira now made him wish that he could have told him earlier about his fate. He wished that he could have had the courage to turn around when Akira called to him, so that he could allow him to grieve when he was still there to comfort him. The pain that settled in his chest since last night is one that he was not familiar with his heart blazed in a mixture of love and regret sealed by the feelings he had secretly harbored deep down in his chest. 

Tentatively he placed his fingers to the glass, it was cold enough to feel the slight temperature change through his gloves, this is how Goro surveyed Akira and they continued on tward the exit. As he observed his slow sway and his posture, Goro could tell that he was silently crying, quietly mourning. 

A lump formed in his throat as he watched Akira's chest barely heave and his tears glisten on his mask, he knew that this moment would be between them and them alone.It was their moment to acknowledge and mourn the possible future they could have had together while everyone else celebrated their victory, not knowing the consequence that would soon be in each of their hearts. 

Akira was the first to make eye contact, it was as if even when his eyes were closed he knew Goro was looking at him because as soon as he opened his eyes they connected the two of them. Time didn't stop, the palace didn't stop burning but Goro felt his chest ache none the less, seeing Akira's gray eyes for what could possibly be the last time was a sensation he didn't ever prepare to feel. Last time he knew he was dying he was able to play ignorant as the wall separated them, he didn't have to look into Akira's eyes as he gave his life away again. 

This time it was final, there was no hiding, his death would be final and they both understood that so Akira tried his hardest to offer a soft smile, that somehow had no happiness behind it, and a small wave. It hurt more than anything Goro had ever experienced, he wanted to scream and cry and break the glass so that he could fall to Akira. He wanted to live so painfully it hurt, and he wanted to live so he could hear whatever the fuck Akira was currently mouthing at him. Goro curses everything under the sun, including Akira because if he truly had something important to say why did it have to be now when he cant hear him. Before he can communicate that he will need to send his message another way, Akira simply nods and blows him a kiss before closing his eyes once again and dramatically throwing his head back. 

That was it, the last time Goro Akechi would have the luxury of flirting with the legendary leader of the phantom thieves, he could nearly laugh at Akira's mannerisms if this whole situation didn't hurt so acutely. And that is where he would lay, pressed against the cold window staring desperately at Akira, wishing he would meet their eyes again. Before he could recognize what was happening Goro was clutching his chest and leaving behind a small pool of tears he thought no one would ever notice on the bottom of the helicopter. His time was up, as explosions rang heavy in his ears and the destruction of the palace was near complete, Goro was just happy to look at Akira one last time even if it was painful.   
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Once Akira managed to steady his breath and reduce the number of tears pooling out of his eyes he looked up once again. Instantly he felt sick to his stomach, Akechi wasn't there, it was as if he was instantly thrust underwater his skin prickled from the cold and he felt all of the air leave his lungs. It wasn't right, for Akechi to be gone, of course he knew the consequences of defeating Maruki but he didn't expect his Goro Akechi to just cease to exist so quickly. It felt completely unreal until Akira saw how the explosions reflected off of the glass floor of the helicopter and noticed the small pool of tears left behind. 

That was it, final, Goro Akechi was gone and Akira didn't know how to comprehend this loss, they had just began to fix everything, there was hope from him. That topic proved to be too much for him to think about and he tried to regain his composure to survey this world one last time. Akira furiously wiped tears out from his mask and looked at the place of Takuto Maruki, the palace built for him, he wanted to burn the image of its ruin into his mind so that he could never deny his involvement with killing Goro a second time. Becuase after all he could have walked away even after Goro asked, but it was his final choice to destroy this world and ruin the potential of someone who deserved a second chance more than anyone he had ever met. 

All of Akira's thoughts would have to stop for the time being because they were nearing the exit point, but just incase Akechi could hear him now he was sure to repeat himself one final time. 

"I don't know what we were, but there will never be another person like you Goro Akechi, I love you and even if you would have hated me I would have only loved you harder." 

His voice was calmer than the first time he said it, but as he finished the normal chill from the breeze became warmer and enveloped his chest. It was overwhelming, it made Akira just for a moment grateful to whoever caused this to happen, whether it was Maruki or otherwise it didn't matter.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading this is officially the first fanfic Ive written in this fandom!! Truth be told I totally thought that the monacopter had a window more on the bottom of it, but I had already written/ edited this by the time I looked that up so well just go with it. 
> 
> I'm not super active but you can catch me at twitter @sbananafish I will give updates about fics/ art there!


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